In the first century A.D., in the mainland of India, the
mighty Mauryan empire had broken into pieces and the Sungas and Kanvas were
ruling over Magadha. At such a juncture…….these colonists went over to Champa
and made settlements over there. They might have taken the land route through
Burma and Assam, or the direct sea route coming past Java.
The application of the name of Champa to this colony may
lead us to conclude that the colonists went from the eastern parts of India.
The epigraphical evidence of Vo-can, however, points to the Southern India as
the home of the Indian colonists of Champa. As the epigraphical evidence is
more strong and trustworthy, we must accept the theory that at least the family
of the first Indian royal dynasty of Champa went from the valley of Godaveri
and Krishna, because the inscription of Vo-can bears close resemblance to that
of Rudradamana at Girnar and of Satakarni Vasisthaputra at Kanheri
…..the Indian kings of Champa…for more than a thousand years
(from the third century to the fourteenth century A.D.) they kept up in that
country the Indian rule as well as the culture and civilization of India.x
The native Chams had a distinctive clannishness which
resisted to some extent the Hindu colonization and the institution of castes. Each
Cham clan had its own totem, and there were traditions current for each clan.
Another point to be noted is that Hindu civilization and
culture could not influence the law of inheritance of the Chams. So we find
that among the native Chams the rule of property going to females survived even
the introduction of Hindu civilization. The rule about the devolution of
kingship, however, was according to the Hindu Law.
The Hindu custom of sati
prevailed in Champa.
…..the prince was known by the Indian name – yuvaraja. ….The yuvaraja was often elected by an assembly of great men. This custom
still survives in Cambodia. At the death of the king, the council of ministers
meets under the presidency of Aka Moha
Sena and elects one as the king or confirms one chosen by the dead king.
Some kings selected their ministers only from among the
Brahmans and Ksattriyas.
From Chinese sources, we know that the officers, brothers
and even the sons of the king had not immediate access to the king. It is
strange that though they were not easily accessible even to their relatives,
the kings were sometimes assassinated.
The entire kingdom of Champa was divided into three
provinces, with a governor over each of them. It is significant to note that
the names of these provinces are Indian. …..The provinces are ….Amaravati. It is in North Champa……Vijaya. It is in central Champa ……Panduranga ….in South Champa
….in the reign of Harivarman …..the whole kingdom at that
time consisted of 30,000 families.
These provinces of Champa were governed by high officials or
by princes of the royal family. The province of Panduranga was often given to a
prince. ….the Champa king was an absolute monarch….He had ….to maintain a large
army. In the time of Wen, it consisted of ….40 to 50,000 men. It increased more
and more afterwards. In the eighth century only the royal guard consisted of
5,000 men. ….The command of the army was given to the brothers or sons of the
king.
While Cambodia provides us with the best specimens of Indian
art and sculpture …..the artists of Champa were not inspired by the Indian
ideal in the same way. They followed the Indian canons, and got the Indian
form, bereft, however, of the inspiration. The result was that they could not
approach the best specimens of Indian sculpture of the Gupta period.
The most popular of the Gods of the Hindu trinity in Champa
was Siva…….the sculptors of Champa ….seemed to prefer to represent and worship Siva
in the form of a lingam (phallus) ….The
worship of the lingam was perhaps prevalent in Rigvedic times…..Whether we
agree with Hopkins as to the Greek influence behind lingam worship or not, no one will deny that the worship of Siva
and his emblem, the lingam, is of
non-Aryan origin.
It is surprising that while Hinduism made such headway in
Champa, Buddhism, which penetrated so far into China and Japan could not make
much progress in Champa. This may be due to the fact that most of the kings of
Champa were Hindus and that they were busy making endowments to Hindu Gods and
Goddesses.
The remains of Buddhist sculptures in Champa show that
Buddhism prevailed side by side with Hinduism, though it could not rival the
latter in popularity.
This art of Champa, which is Indian in origin and design but
Cham in execution…….
The stories of the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata seem to have been
familiar with the people of Champa, though perhaps they were not so popular as
in Java.
India effected in Champa not only a physical but also a
cultural conquest. Her sons ruled over Champa for more than twelve hundred
years ……
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